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                     MARCH 2008                      

Can You say...Intransigent?!

When it comes to new experiences, I have always felt you should embrace the opportunity, as you never know what may be learned, or whether another like opportunity will materialize if that initial window closes.  Dana Miller and I took that to heart as we traveled to Sacramento to meet with our local legislators and express our concerns regarding these draconian cuts to education that have left too many of our sister and brother teachers threatened with job loss.  Unfortunately, what we discovered was we do not have our local legislators support for our outstanding schools in Temecula.  Additionally, we have serious concerns regarding the priorities of these elected officials, who are presumably duty-bound to support the interests of their constituents.

We had scheduled meetings for both Jeffries and Hollingsworth, and having arrived, in both cases we were shuffled off to other staff. This led us to believe we were not held in much esteem despite our having scheduled appointments in both offices prior to our trip.  Staff we did meet with were by no means rude, they simply were unwilling to appreciate the damage this budget would do to our schools if enacted.  "We don't have a budget problem, we have a spending problem.", stated Craig DeLuz, public relations staffer for Jeffries who received the 3000 letters we brought to him from community members.  When confronted with the spending of $5,800.00 per pupil in California , making California 46th in the nation, both offices had no response.  Both Hollingsworth and Jeffries are part of a contingent of legislators who have pledged not to consider tax increases under any circumstances. They have even refused to consider closing tax loopholes, credits, and exemptions which could garner 2.7 billion dollars for California , positions endorsed by the non-partisan Legislative Analysts Office and their own governor. For now, they take comfort in the knowledge they are safe in their home districts, and will “hold the line” on any solution that would offset this crisis though revenue increases.  Given our legislators' current positions, it seems unlikely they will do anything that will aid our students in their time of need.  We left Sacramento wondering if our elected representatives don't represent our students and the schools in their home districts, who do they represent?